Persistent media reports about the specious concern of the Western Cape Minister of Local Government about Oudtshoorn’s financial status, and budgeting and planning processes are creating an erroneous perception of fiscal and strategic injudiciousness.

Nothing could possibly be further from the truth.

Oudtshoorn’s financial position is robust and can best be described as efficacious. The municipality is financially sound; the balance sheet is solvent; and the liquidity is above reproach.

The day to day administration runs effectively and efficiently, in stark contrast to unfounded, misleading, and malicious accusations to the contrary.

The municipality’s creditors are paid within 30 days and the minister should either provide proof to the contrary or hold his peace.

The Minister is encouraged rather to tend his oversight responsibility and ensure the soonest payment of some R2 million in Provincial arrears due to Oudtshoorn.

The minister is further exhorted to avoid spurious and conspicuous delays in the settlement, by the Democratic Alliance or its agents, of some R4.5 million in awarded costs from the superfluous Pierre Nel v. Oudtshoorn Municipality law suit.

The Minister is also adjured to prevent any repeat of the substantial severance packages Oudtshoorn was recently forced to pay to officials appointed by a Democratic Alliance Council.

The minister is exhorted to answer to his Constitutional duty and leave the management of Oudtshoorn’s finances to the dedicated, capable, and qualified professionals who recently achieved an unqualified audit.

It is abundantly clear that the Minister is fixing to intervene in Oudtshoorn while his support is conspicuously absent and his vitiating intentions all too evident.

Given the Minister’s questionable intervention record, the Mayco and the administration of the Greater Oudtshoorn will not stand idly by while the Minister and councillors representing the Democratic Alliance conjure a milieu inviting intervention for party political gain.

The Minister is encouraged rather to tend his oversight responsibility and ensure the soonest payment of some R2 million in Provincial arrears due to Oudtshoorn.

The minister is further exhorted to avoid spurious and conspicuous delays in the settlement, by the Democratic Alliance or its agents, of some R4.5 million in awarded costs from the superfluous Pierre Nel v. Oudtshoorn Municipality law suit.

The Minister is also adjured to prevent any repeat of the substantial severance packages Oudtshoorn was recently forced to pay to officials appointed by a Democratic Alliance Council.

The minister is exhorted to answer to his Constitutional duty and leave the management of Oudtshoorn’s finances to the dedicated, capable, and qualified professionals who recently achieved an unqualified audit.

It is abundantly clear that the Minister is fixing to intervene in Oudtshoorn while his support is conspicuously absent and his vitiating intentions all too evident.

Given the Minister’s questionable intervention record, the Mayco and the administration of the Greater Oudtshoorn will not stand idly by while the Minister and councillors representing the Democratic Alliance conjure a milieu inviting intervention for party political gain.